Crassula umbella is widely spread in the Southern - and Northern Cape where it inhabits shady places on south facing hill slopes.

The leaves appear during winter and the plants lose their leaves during the hot summer months. The plants have small tubers to help them survive during this dry period. These tubers vary in size from about the size of a match head to around 5 mm in the Little Karoo forms. The two adjacent leaves are kidney-shaped and often have wavy margins. Some variation exists in the species througout it distribution range.

The flowering time is from July onwards in late winter. The plants can be up to 15 cm tall when in flower.